I’m starting to find a new appreciation for a minimalist approach to fishing. You see, I fear I may have spent a little bit too much on fishing tackle over the years. My wife has suspected the same for some time and hasn’t been shy of telling me, and now as I sit here staring at a bunch of lures I’ve never tied on, nor have any intention of tying on, I think she may be on to something.
I must have thousands of lures at this point. I have crankbaits in several dozen beautifully rendered colors. Spinnerbaits with every type of blade imaginable and jerkbaits for every type of action. I have a box filled with terminal tackle with hundreds of hooks of every shape and size.
When I was younger and didn’t have children I was caught up in it all and chased every “lead” or new fangled lure I could dream of. It should be no shock that once, a cashier at a sporting goods store looked at me and said, “Sir, are you ready for your total?”
I guess I got a little carried away… But what would life look like if I really tried to keep fishing simple?
A Minimalist Approach to Fishing Lure Colors
My tackle boxes feature a ridiculous variety of colors, most of which I have never used and will likely never use. Every single time I go fishing, I find that I’m drawn to four main colors:
I use chartreuse or clown (read: basically yellow) when I’m fishing in murky water, like south of the Crown Point Bridge in Lake Champlain.
I use white or yellow perch (read: natural) when I am fishing in clear water, like in Bulwagga Bay or north of the bridge in general. The idea being that white and yellow perch look much more like baitfish than a gaudy yellow. It has been my experience that the clearer the water becomes, the more productive white becomes. I fish in northern waters were yellow perch are prevalent, but you could substitute this for whatever prey is in your lake.
I use black when I am fishing during very overcast skies, or at night. This is because black stands out much better as it has a more distinct silhouette than the colors above.
So… Given that I know I’m only going to tie on these four colors, why is my tackle box filled with reds, greens, purples, silvers, golds, and everything in-between? Well, as dad always says, “They got me again.”
How Many Lures Do You Really Need?
Forget the colors. What about types? I believe I just may have every type of lure known to man, and I don’t even do this professionally. If you look at the tackle collections of some pros, they have more lures than some Wal-Marts. But how many do any of us really use? You hear about how so many people have their favorite few lures and techniques that they keep going back to, yet they buy everything under the sun. It doesn’t make sense.
I’d argue that you could get away with a select few rigs. I once wrote an entire article where I argued the only rig you needed to know was a drop shot. I ought to learn to take my own advice! Although I suppose that’s only good advice to those who fish near open water. If you’re surrounded by weedbeds, a drop shot’s usefulness tends to plummet.
Even so, one wouldn’t need every type of lure known to man. A drop shot, spinnerbait, and plastic worm combo could handle pretty much every situation you might encounter. The fish are deep and on rocks? Throw out the drop shot. Are they hanging along a weed line? Toss that spinnerbait. What about when they’re in heavy cover? Precisely place your plastic worm of choice right on target. Problem solved!
How Many Rods Should You Have?
I fail hard at minimalist fishing when it comes to how many fishing rods I own. The main rod box of my boat carries 10 rods. It is always completely full. The funny thing is, it often stays mostly full for much of the fishing trip. Indeed, if I have more than 2-3 rods out at any one time, it means I’m scrambling and haven’t found a pattern yet.
When I’m fishing with my kids, I bring multiple copies of their rods. I wouldn’t recommend doing anything less. I don’t bring multiple rods so I can try multiple techniques, but so my kids can keep on fishing while I fix their tangles all day! You can read all about what rods I think are best for kids in this article. You can also check out my in-depth review on the Ugly Stik Elite.
When I’m fishing by myself I try to bring as few rods as possible. On foot, anything more than one means that I have to move slower, because I have to find a place to set the second rod every time I want to cast. I can cover much more bank if I’m fishing with one rod, and I find I do better with less clutter on my casting deck as well if I’m on a boat.
What is the One Rod I Bring Along?
If you’re only going to use one fishing rod I suggest that you make it a Medium-Heavy power, fast action graphite one. This is a good all-around choice that can throw pretty much any set up you want. If I could only bring one rod, it would be a spinning rod. I find these more versatile than casting rods because they can throw a larger range of lure weights. If I want to use a drop shot, I can cast it easily. If I want to toss a spinnerbait, I can do that too. Casting rods, in contrast, often struggle with light presentations.
If you’re a fishing minimalist, chances are at least part of the reason for the decision is price. I do think you should invest a little money into a solid brand like St. Croix, likely their premier line up.
What About Tenkara?
If you really want to go all out with the minimalist fishing approach, you could learn about Tenkara fishing and pick up a kit. This Japanese approach is very simplistic and relies on a fishing pole instead of a rod. There’s no reel to speak of and the lures are usually light flies. If you really wanted to keep things as simple as possible, it would be hard to miss with this truly minimalist approach to fishing.
A Minimalist Approach to Fishing Boats
Honestly, if you’re trying to downsize your approach to fishing, you probably aren’t planning on buying a boat as it would kind of defeat the point. However, there are some ways that you can save some money even with boating.
The main opportunity is in the motor. Let’s be very clear: if you go on any fishing forum on earth and ask if you should max out the motor, you’re going to have no shortage of people telling you to do this. They’re going to talk about resale, top speed, and a host of other reasons. Well, I’ve been fishing with my boat for over eight years now. It’s rated for a 150 hp motor and has a 115. I have never missed the extra 35.
If you are not fishing in a tournament, planning on pulling very heavy water skiers, or intent on flipping your boat for a new one each year, there is little sense in insisting on maximum horsepower. Indeed, all the folks who are “hurting” from the “lack of resale value” are the perfect match for you when it’s time for you to buy a boat and them to sell one.
You also should consider what type of boat you need. Do you really need that fancy bassboat or deep v, or does the next model down work? My boat’s top end is 40mph. It can take my entire family safely. It goes for tens of thousands less than the top end models of its brand. When I think of why and how I use my boat it doesn’t make sense to go for broke. It might not for you either.
But Doesn’t Minimalist Fishing Miss Opportunities for Tricking Fish with New Lures?
I suppose the question above is the main reason the bait monkey exists, isn’t it? It’s certainly the reason you’ve read this entire article with a cautious eye! We’re all afraid that if we don’t grab the new hot lure, we’re going to lose a chance at the fishing trip of a lifetime.
Well, I can’t exactly offer reassurance here. I do think there’s something to be said for throwing something the fish have never seen, at least if it’s something that isn’t ridiculous (I’m looking at you, helicopter lure).
I remember back in the late 80’s when Berkley first came out PowerBait. That first summer dad bought a few was fantastic fishing with fish seemingly jumping in the boat. Likewise, the first spring the Shadow Rap was available, it fueled the most productive fishing trip of my life. Coincidence? Placebo? Maybe. But these did work.
I suppose this question above is always going to tug at me a bit. I’ll never quite shake the bait monkey because of it, but at the very least, I can use the approach I’ve described here to minimize the impact to my wallet.
I hope you found this article helpful. If you like this philosophy, consider picking up a copy of my book on Amazon as there are other tips in keeping with the, “Keep it simple” approach to help your family learn to fish.
Thanks,
John Paxton